Analogy/Homology 

1. For the homologous trait provide the following information. 

a. Two different species that possess the homologous trait are human beings and monkeys. The tailbone in human beings is a homologous trait, it gets its name "tailbone" due to the fact it is a homologous structure to the beginning of tails. Such as the tails that monkey's have. Human Beings have lost the original function  of their tailbone through evolution. Human Beings now have a coccyx, which is very similar to a tail, however the coccyx serves no purpose. Part of this is the fact that Human beings are bipedal, and have no need for a tail. Monkey's on the other hand, are bipedal, yet still use their tails for things such as grasping objects such as branches and food, so their tail still serves a purpose. 

b. Monkey's have what is called a prehensile tail. A prehensile tail has adapted to grasp or hold objects, full use of a prehensile tail includes being able to manipulate objects, and aid the monkey in finding and eating food. The human being tail bone is now a vestigial trait that humans no longer have a use for. There are several theories as to why humans only have a tail bone such as, we are bipedal, we don't need a tail to brush away bugs, help our balance or to grab things, so over time there was no need for humans to have a tail. The tailbone is formed of three to five vertebrae, the last piece is  a tiny nodule of bone. A monkey's tail is made of vertebrae that are more flexible. 

c. Human beings and Monkey's are both primates that descended from a common ape ancestor over six million years ago, we share a common ape ancestor with chimpanzees and chimpanzees are the closest primate relative to humans. Like Human beings, chimpanzees do not have tails. However, the ape species includes humans, monkey's and chimpanzees, so the Ape is our common ancestor. 

d. 
. 

2. For your analogous traits provide the following information. 

a.The penguin and the fish are examples of species with analogous traits. Penguins and fish both have fin like structures, yet one of these are a bird and one is a fish. Therefore they are not related through ancestors or anything. The main function of a fish is to swim, and they have fins located in different places to help them move through the water, stop, as well as shift left or right, so the fin serves a lot of purpose for a fish. A penguin also uses their fins, for gliding through water. Unlike the fish, the penguin can rotate their fins in different directions, which help their fins act like a paddle. Penguins have fins instead of wings, because a wing would hinder their swimming. 

b. Penguins are part of the bird family, they even have feathers like birds do, however the feathers are highly dense and very short. Penguins also lay eggs, and are warm blooded. Over time penguins wings adapted to become fins (flippers), which they use for swimming. Penguins rely on swimming for food, so developing these fins was more important then growing wings to fly. Fish on the other hand are cold blooded and cannot survive on land like penguins do. The fish fin serves many functions, their dorsal fin prevents them from rolling over, their pectoral fin are used for steering. So the fins in both penguins and fish serve entirely different purposes. The one similarity is both use their fins for guidance through the water. 

c. Fish were here on earth long before birds were. Amphibians evolved from fish, over 360 million years ago, and then mammals and birds evolved from reptile like ancestors so the common ancestor would be a fish from over 360 million years ago. Fish had fins, so this would be the analogous trait that penguins now have. The fish and the penguin are not related as one is a fish, cold blooded and one is a bird, warm blooded. They are from entirely different species. Penguins and fish are analogous to each other, based upon the structure of their fins. The penguins fin is used to help navigate through the water, ice and snow, and the fish's fin is used to navigate only through water. 

d. 

.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck VS. Charles Darwin

I believe Jean-Baptiste Lamarck contributed to the theory of evolution, by disagreeing with what Darwin had believed. In the end it helped prove Darwin's theory.  Lamarck believed that species adapted to their environment, and due to the species adapting, they would pass these "traits" on to their offspring. For instance he stated that "If a giraffe stretched its neck for leaves, a "nervous fluid" would flow into its neck and make it longer. Its offspring would inherit the longer neck, and it would continue to stretch more over generations"  Early Concepts of Evolution: Jean Baptiste Lamarck, evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/history_09.    Darwin believed this wasn't true, we are basically products of our environment, and adapt to the changes taking place in our environment. These traits were then passed on to our offspring and only the strongest survived. Birds and mammals all have differences, some with short beaks, some with long, the ones that adapted to their environment would live on and pass these traits on, while those that didn't adapt would die off. 

• All organisms have the potential of reproducing exponentially.  If a Giraffes neck grew and grew longer over generations, a giraffes neck would never stop growing and the exponentially growth of a giraffes neck would make the giraffe all neck and nothing else. One would think a giraffe would lose the ability to walk over the years. Luckily Lamarck's theory wasn't true.

• What is preventing organisms from reproducing at their potential? Giraffes necks only have seven vertebrae, they have stretched these vertebrae to their potential, which allows for no more stretching, so the theory that Lamarck has that they would keep growing, generation after generation, is physically impossible.
  
• Resources are limited: If a giraffes neck continued to grow, they would become so top heavy, they wouldn't be able to stand, sure they could eat from high trees, but would they be able to stand under all that weight?
  
• Organisms with better access to resources will be more successful in their reproductive efforts. The giraffes will have access to food other animals can't reach, and they will be able to reproduce as long as their body are proportioned.
  
  
• Who gets better access to these limited resources? Darwin's giraffes would get much more from the resources as they would adapt perfectly to their environment, and be able to utilize the resources given to them. They also wouldn't have a lot of predators being as large as they are. Darwin's giraffes would also have greater reproduction success.
  
• If the environment changes, the traits that are helpful or adaptive to that environment will be different: The species would have to adapt to new changes in the environment, if they do not, they will fail to have reproductive success and the traits that make them successful in today's world. If they failed to adapt, they could possibly die off. 

• In order for natural selection to occur, reproduction MUST occur! If the species failed to adapt to changes, and they failed to reproduce, they would die off, and become extinct. They need to be able to pass on their traits, to keep the species alive.
  
• In order for traits to evolve and change, they MUST be heritable.  Lamarck believed traits changed and were acquired over a individuals lifetime, and that this individual would pass these traits on to their offspring, but it's actually genetics that passes the traits on. They can be passed on to generations years from now.
  
• Individuals do not evolve. Populations do. Individuals will not see the evolving of different species, as their life is not long enough. It takes years to evolve, so future generations will witness the changes.
  
• Artificial selection is identical to natural selection with one important difference. Humans intervene, and are selective. Natural selection happens naturally.
  
• Could Darwin have developed his theory of natural selection without the influence and ideas of this individual? Explain. Yes, he could have, as his theory was proven to be correct while Lamarcks was not. Lamarck believed an animal wanted to evolve, for instance a giraffe reaching higher for food- therefore stretching his neck. Darwin believed this to be untrue, that they adapted to their environment. Evolution does not have a plan, it just happens.
  
• How did the attitude of the church affect Darwin and his decision to publish his theory? It kind of caused condemnation and approval, causing a divide among the church. Some were supportive of his ideas and others were completely against it. Darwin was able to get support from other scientists and eventually published his work.